1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a fuse and relay block assembly for an automotive vehicle.
2. Description of the Related Art
A fuse and relay block for an automotive vehicle includes a housing, a relay/fuse module mounted in the housing and a cover removably mounted to the housing for covering and protecting the relay/fuse module. Relay connectors and fuse connectors are mounted on the relay/fuse module and are connected by wires to electrically powered components of the vehicle, such as the windshield wipers, the fuel pump, the water pump, cooling fans, an air conditioner compressor, power windows, power doors, door locks, power seats, the sound system, the navigation system and various lighting groups, the horn. Relays and fuses are mounted removably in the relay and fuse connectors of the relay/fuse module.
Fuses protect certain of the electrically powered components of the vehicle from damage due to a current overload that could occur. Fuses typically are parts of circuits associated with components of the vehicle that draw low current levels, such as indicator lights, dashboard lights, the sound system, and the navigation system.
Relays are electrically powered switches. More particularly, a relay will use a small amount of current in one circuit to control a much larger current in another circuit. Relays typically are associated with circuits that draw larger current levels than the circuits with which the fuses are associated. For example, relays may be used with the circuits that control cooling fans, power windows, power seats, the rear window defogger and the heater. One or more fuses may be associated with certain of the relays, for example, to control the low current circuit that controls the switch of the relay.
Fuses and relays may require replacement, and hence must be accessible. The typical fuse and relay block has a closely spaced array of relays and fuses disposed substantially in a common plane and positioned in a housing. The relays and fuses face outward from the common plane and are accessible by removing the cover from the housing.
Automotive vehicles continue to have more electrically powered components and hence a larger number of circuits. The additional components that require low current levels will be parts of circuits protected by fuses. The additional components that require high current levels will be parts of circuits that are controlled by relays, and at least certain of those relays are protected by fuses. Thus, an increasing number of fuses and relays must be incorporated into a fuse and relay block and must be accessible for replacement as needed. A larger fuse and relay block could accommodate a larger planar array of fuses and relays. However, the space available in a vehicle is at a premium and the fuse and relay block must compete with other necessary parts of the vehicle for the limited space. Often the footprint available in the vehicle for the fuse and relay block is fixed even though the number of circuits increases.
JP 2003-079027 discloses a junction box with optional modular arrays of fuses and relays to accommodate the particular needs in a vehicle. The specific modular arrays will be selected and accommodated into a housing to meet the needs of the electrically powered components in the particular vehicle. The teaching of JP 2003-079027 leads to manufacturing and design efficiencies, but does not address the problems caused by an increased number of electrically powered components in the vehicle and the corresponding need to accommodate a larger number of easily accessible fuses and relays in a limited available space.
Accordingly, an object of the invention is to provide a fuse and relay box that can accommodate a larger number fuses and relays within a limited available space.
A further object of the invention is to provide a fuse and relay box that assures efficient and convenient access at least to those fuses and relays that are likely to require service and/or replacement